Consequences
by Diego Zeyon
Summary: Every choice has consquences, ripples that may not be felt for years or may stir the water instantly. Ren has made a choice: to be a Breeder. But other choices have been made, and they may just get in his way...
1. Setting Out Again

A/N: Something different, and something that's been stirring in my mind for quite awhile--and unlike _Filling In__,_ I have most of the plot already worked out!

I know the story may not seem enough for a "T" rating yet, but there will be swearing later on, and violence.

Note that, naturally, considering Diego is still alive, this takes place before _Filling In_. As a matter of fact, it takes place, for all intents and purposes, in an alternate timeline, since I don't want to worry about blending what occurs here with my other story.

I know that this all sounds like it's based on another story; and it is. I wrote a story dealing with the origin of Ren and Diego, and the others (which does exist on the internet, and if the name Zarla means anything to you might know where to find it), but it is not my best work and is (will be), in any case, largely explained herein. I'll do my best to build good beginnings in the story, in the form of flashbacks, where applicable. Which means that if I leave something unexplained in one chapter--and it's important, either to this story or for the purpose of character development--just be patient. It will be explained.

I use the following formatting system:

"Double quotes" denote human speech or when text is being read passively (i.e.: He glanced at the sign, which read "Route 201," and then continued walking) as opposed to actively (i.e.: "The sign said 'Route 201,'" he clarified.).

'_Single quotes in italics,_' to denote translated Pokémon speech, which should apply mostly to when Pokémon are narrating the story.

"_Double quotes in italic"_' denote _un_translated Pokémon speech, when humans are narrating the story.

_Italics _indicate throughts or telepathic speech.

+Plus signs+ indicate the first- or third-person narrator, though the former will only apply to three characters (Diego, Ren, and another who will be introduced a little ways in) while the latter will apply to anyone else. Note that I will not always use these.

Three plus signs in a row (+ + +) indicate a timelapse.

Three exclamation points in a row (! ! !) indicate a flashback, and (end) indicates the end of a flashback.

I don't own Pokémon or any related trademarks, nor do I own Javier, who is my friend's _Diamond_ character, but I do own Raymond "Ren" Ashlocke, Nicholas Mendoza, and any persons related to them, as well as the personalities of their Pokémon, as well as the idea of Bugsy's "real" name.

Also: the Dawn mentioned in this story is the female player character from _Diamond/Pearl_, who has become Sinnoh's Champion. Javi takes Lucas's place, but is also an active Trainer (as opposed to Lucas in the game, who seems to be more of a researcher) and is head of Sinnoh's Elite Four (being the second-best Trainer in the region). Brendan is the male player character from _Emerald_, who holds the position of National Champion (as opposed to just Hoenn Champion).

In case you're wondering, Gold holds the title of Johto Champion, and Blue is acting as standing Kanto Champion for Red, who is currently wandering the world. But they're not important to this story.

* * *

**Consequences**

**Chapter 1 - Setting Out Again**

+Ren+

_"Raichu?_"

I moaned and turned over. Couldn't I sleep just a little longer?

"_Umbri!" _snapped Fang promptly in my ear. I shot straight up and was standing on the floor beside my bed before I could think again.

I turned back to my Umbreon and slouched slightly. "Honestly, Fang, did you have to do that? It's too early for scares..."

_"Umbreon,_" he said, apparently uncaring.

"_Chu, Raichu,_" said Diego scoldingly. Fang shrugged and began to wash himself.

I glanced at the digital clock on my end table, which read 8:29, then a moment later flicked to 8:30 and began blaring an alarm, which I immediately shut off.

"Your timing is impeccable," I muttered to Fang sarcastically. He ignored me, which wasn't terribly unusual.

There was a soft, warm nudge on my leg. I looked straight down and at Myst. The Vulpix murmured _"Vul,_" and indicated a package just inside my bedroom doorway.

I smiled reassuringly down at her and went to pick it up, then noticed a note on top.

"Ren

I'm sorry I'm not here to see you off, but something's come up that I really have to tend to. These are

some new clothes as well the most recent Pokédex model, courtesy of Javier (but he told me to tell

you the clothes were Dawn's idea). He also said to call him once you get to Hoenn--he's got someth-

ing else that he wanted to give you, but didn't tell me what it was.

I know I've said this a lot lately, but I can't tell you how proud I am of how you've been coping with

the truth of your father's death, and I'm sorry it ended up bieng Brendan who had to tell you. Know th-

at I fully support your choice to become a Breeder, though I have to admit I don't think I can ever under-

stand your reasons.

I love you! Give Diego a big hug for me!

Mom

P.S. Try out the Pokédex! You'll be surprised!"

I opened up the package and picked up the Pokédex, which looked similar to the one I already had. I was surprised that they had a new model already, but then I remembered watching a report by Sinnoh's Professor Rowan about having to rearrange the Pokédex based on the discovery of Pokémon that weren't originally beleived to be native.

"Try it out, huh?" I muttered, then shrugged and turned to Diego, opening the Pokédex and pressing "Scan Species."

"Raichu," said the Pokédex instantly in its cool feminine voice. "The Electric Mouse Pokémon. Its long tail serves as a ground to protect itself from its own high-voltage power. It exudes a weak electrical charge from all over its body, which allows it to glow in the dark. It may become aggressive if it builds up too much energy, so regular discharges are necessary."

The top screen then shifted, showing an image of a Raichu in the upper-left corner with average height and weight below it, while running several paragraphs of text down the right side.

_Huh? _I skimmed over the text. _Physiology... Care and Diet..._ _Most of this stuff isn't in a regular Pokédex!_

I tapped the Home button, then highlighted the About function and pressed "OK". The Pokédex spoke again: "National Pokédex, ver. 5, 'Platinum' Breeder's Edition. Registered to: Raymond Daniel Ashlocke, 11, Azalea Town, Johto. This unit contains extensive data on all known breeds of Pokémon including but not limited to average height and weight, phyisiology, attacks which can be learned, and any available abilities a Pokémon species may have, as well as read information on specific Pokémon, including but not limited to exact height and weight, moves the Pokémon has learned, and training level. It may also be used to keep track of Pokémon within a Breeding Center's system. This unit is currently not assigned to a Breeding Center."

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "This is cool!"

_"Raichu?_" asked Diego, apparently confused. I smiled and scratched him between the ears, and then grabbed the clothes (khaki pants, a green long-sleeved shirt with a PokéBall symbol over the breast pocket, and a teal/silver windbreaker) and went to the bathroom to dress.

(+ + +)

Only Myst walked beside me as I left the house, as Fang and Diego, as well as Ring, my Sentret, all opted to return to their PokéBalls. I was slightly worried for the Vulpix, as she wasn't fully mature (she still had only four tails), lacked a great deal of self-confidence, and had quite general allergies that always acted up when she went outside. But I did not question her decision--and truth be told I welcomed the company.

I headed west, towards Ilex Forest, which wasn't that far of a walk. The main hazards were the Slowpoke, who had fallen asleep where they stood and had not woken up yet. I barely saw a soul as I walked through town, but as I rounded the corner towards Ilex's gate, I nearly ran into Jeremy--or, as he was more popularly known, Azalea's Gym Leader, Bugsy.

"Whoa!" said the Gym Leader, stepping around me. "Sorry, Ren, didn't see you."

"You just caught another Weedle, didn't you?" I asked. Bugsy was always in a hurry to return to the Gym and train after he'd caught a new Pokémon.

"'Another'?" Bugsy said incredulously, as if he couldn't believe how easily I could dismiss Bug Pokémon. "I'll have you know it's a female Kakuna! If you could realize just how awesome Bug Pokémon are--Hey," he said suddenly, noticing the fact that I had PokéBalls on my belt and a bag on my back, "I thought you were done with your Leage Challenge--What happened to 'Four badges is enough for me'?"

"I'm not going on a Leage Challenge, Jeremy--"

"Bugsy," he corrected reflexively. "Why can't you just call me Bugsy!?"

I shrugged. "Sorry, Bugsy. But I'm not going on a Leage Challenge--I'm going to Hoenn to learn from the elderly Breeder couple in Hoenn."

"_Vulpix,_" agreed Myst quietly.

"They _would_ be the best people to learn from, I guess," acknowledged Bugsy.

"I talked with them over the phone a few weeks ago, and they said they could handle another apprentice--one of them just got his liscence, so they had a spot open."

"Interesting outfit if you're just going on a plane ride to Hoenn, though," Bugsy pointed out.

"It's at least a day to Goldenrod unless I push it," I pointed out. "Never mind that the plane lands in Lilycove City."

Bugsy chuckled. "Wheter you admit or not, there's still a part of you that likes the whole adventuring deal behind being a Trainer."

I shrugged again, then stuck out my hand. "See you around, Bugsy."

He shook it. "Later, Ren."

He headed back toward the Gym. I stared after him, and then glanced around once more at what I could see of Azalea Town.

"See you around," I breathed, and then walked into Ilex Forest.

(! ! !)

(One Year Earlier)

It was raining.

Even through the thick foliage of the ilex trees, the ground was soaked, and there were no Pokémon in sight.

I sighed, leaning against one of the thicker trees and staring out into the gloom. Once again I questioned why I had decided to take a walk in a rainstorm, but the only answer I could come up with was that I _had_ to. I had stood up and come out here, and that was all there was to it.

I waited a few minutes more to be sure, but the rain showed no signs of stopping, or even lessening. Resigned, I pulled up my hood and started walking back towards town, taking a slightly different route than the one I'd taken to get to this point.

_It's just as well it's raining,_ I mused, hands in my pockets, head down. _Since I won't have a Pokémon until tomorrow..._

On the word "Pokémon" I heard a small rustle off to my right. I paused, thinking it may simply have been a large raindrop. Then I heard it again, along with a weak-sounding, muffled "_Chuu..._"

Very slowly I stepped in the direction of the sound, intrigued. For a moment I saw nothing out of the ordinary, then, without any prior warning, I heard the sound of electricity sparking wildly, and the bush off to my right began to smolder. The rain increased for a moment, and the bush stopped smoldering.

_Electricity?_

I began to drop to my knees to see what was under the bush, but I froze as I heard whatever it was under the bush decide to come out.

There was very little to see at first; only the rustling and slurping of mud coming from that general direction told me something was moving. Then, very slowly, I saw a Pikachu's head emerge from under the bush. Its eyes were half closed, and it seemed to be dragging itself forward with its forepaws.

Slowly the rest of the mouse Pokémon's body came out from under the bush. As its rear paws finally came into view, it collapsed to the ground, apparently from exhaustion.

This time I really did drop to my knees, as much to see what was wrong with it as from the shock of seeing a Pikachu in Ilex Forest. I reached my hand out to try and touch it, but its eyes snapped open as my hand neared its head and it tried to back away, muttering, "_Chuu..._"

"Hey," I said as gently as I could over the rain. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

"_Ch...Chuu..._" it said again, shaking its head.

Realizing that even now I may have been intimidating it, I very slowly reached up and pulled my hood down. The rain soon plastered my long black hair to my head, but it was a small price to pay. Then I tried speaking again: "It's okay, little guy. I want to see what's wrong."

It shuddered. _"P-Pikachu..._"

But it did not try to move away as I touched it gently between its ears. It took a great deal of self-control not to snap my hand back instantly: this Pikachu was burning up!

It was still shaking slightly, and it started as I tried to rub its head, but then relaxed.

"There now... You're awfully sick, you know that?"

"_Pika...Pikachu..._"

"I can help you," I promised gently. "I can take you to a place where they can make you better."

"_Pi..._" It seemed about to say something, but then it collapsed again, and aside from its breathing did not move.

_I've got to get this thing to a Pokémon Center fast!_

So as gently as I could, I picked up the Pikachu and, holding it tightly, went as quickly as I could back toward Azalea Town.

(end)

"_Vulpix?_" asked Myst, drawing me back to the present.

"Hm? Oh, nothing," I said in response to her inquisitive glance, then danced out of the way as she sneezed, spraying embers everywhere. Amazingly, nothing caught fire. "Are you sure you don't want to be in your PokéBall?" I asked.

"_Vul,_" stated Myst. Then, in a hurt tone, _"...Vulpix?_"

"What? No!" I said dropping down to be closer to her level. "I don't think you're a nuisence, Myst. I can't get angry about something you can't control. I just think it'd be easier on you."

"_Vulpix..._" said Myst uncertainly, then started and looked off to her right. I followed her gaze.

There was a young man there, perhaps sixteen or seventeen, with dark-blond hair and green eyes. He wore a green shirt similar to mine, blue jeans, and solid black shoes. In one of his gloved hands he held a PokéBall, at which he was staring intently, apparently not noticing Myst and I were there.

I stood back up. "Uh... Hey, you alright?"

"Hm?" He looked up. "Oh... Didn't see you there."

"You look somewhat lost."

"Lost?" He put the PokéBall away. "I'd imagine that's not hard to do in this forest." He chuckled.

"Not for me. But then I've lived in Azalea Town my whole life."

"Ah," said the young man. "I suppose that would help."

He seemed slightly tense, or else shy. "I'm Ren. Ren Ashlocke."

"Ren..." he said quietly, then nodded. "Interesting name. I'm Nicholas Mendoza. Who's this?" he asked, shifting his gaze to Myst.

"My Vulpix, Myst."

"Oh?" He stepped forward. "May I...?"

"Huh?" Then I realized he'd meant he wanted to get a closer look. "Uh... Sure. But she's shy, and if she inhales sharply get out of the way."

He looked puzzled, but dropped to one knee anyway and reached out to pet Myst. Normally she would have ducked behind me, but I was surprised to see her walk forward of her own will.

"There, that's a good girl..." said Nicholas gently, scratching under her muzzle.

"She likes you," I blurted out stupidly.

_"Vulpix," _said Myst, apparently agreeing.

"A lot of Pokémon do," said Nicholas. "It's more of a love-or-hate thing, though... You should see my Sneasel." Myst inhaled. "Now, now, none of that!" he added quickly, holding a finger across her nose. Very slowly she exhaled. "See? It's a matter of control."

_"Vulpix?_"

I blinked. Nicholas seemed more comfortable with her than with me. Not only that, but this was the most social I had ever seen Myst.

"Good girl," he said one more time, and then stood up again, seeming slightly more at ease. "None of my Pokémon are quite as polite as she seems to be."

"She's always been that way--either shy or extremely polite." I stepped forward and added in an undertone, "I found her on the way to Goldenrod City a few months ago when she still had only two tails; she'd apparently been abandoned by her own family, and I think she's afraid I'll do the same to her if she doesn't behave right."

Nicholas nodded. "I understand..."

There was a pause. "So... Where're you from, Nicholas?" I asked finally.

"Sinnoh," he replied. "I got seven of the badges there and then got called to Johto for some important family business, but I don't really feel like going back. There's something... I don't know... peaceful about Johto. Nearly all of the towns are based off of some kind of wood or flower--Mahogany, Violet. That 'nature-y' feeling pervades the whole region. Not like the stark colors of Kanto..." he trailed off.

I said nothing, honestly unsure of what to make of this guy. He seemed nice enough, but one moment he seemed extremely shy except with regards to Pokémon, then started talking about the names of the towns.

"...I'm sorry," he said finally. "I've probably come off as somewhat of an odd person. I assure you I'm not--I simply tend to flounder in conversations until I get to know someone." He shrugged. "And I've always been a little more comfortable around Pokémon than people, as odd as that sounds."

"I've heard of people like that," I said.

"Yes..." He trailed off. "I've kept you long enough, Ren. I'm sure you've got somewhere to go..."

"Uh... Right," I said, remembering where I had to get to. "Nice meeting you, Nicholas."

"By the way... Do you have a Pokétch?"

"Uh... PokéGear. Why?"

"...I don't know why, but I'd like your phone number. You strike me as an interesting person--and you certainly have at least one interesting Pokémon."

It was true that my phone function's list was rather small--Mom, Kyra, Brendan, Javi, and Dawn. I had the room. "Sure, why not?" I spouted my number automatically; he dialed it into his Pokétch and then rattled off his number, which I input into my Gear.

"See you around, perhaps?" he said, smiling slightly.

"I'm headed to Hoenn," I explained finally. "So probably not."

"Oh..." Nicholas seemed slightly put out. "Well, the 'Kétch gets service from Hoenn, so there's still that."

"Yeah." I nodded and waved. "Talk to you later, Nicholas!"

"_Vulpix!"_ said Myst.

He smiled. "Until we meet again, Ren."

As I walked away I saw him pull out a PokéBall--perhaps the same one from earlier--and as I ducked around a particularly thick tree I saw him staring at it intently as if to open it with the sheer force of his will alone.

* * *

A/N: I should point out now, for purposes of this story I don't pay attention to regular Pokémon "nests" (where the Pokédex says a particular Pokémon can be found), most specifically in the case of Myst, as Vulpix cannot normally be found upon Route... What was it? ( I should know this... I was just playing Crystal... Oh well)Between Ilex Forest and Goldenrod City. This also applies to Fang, who was captured just outside a small fraction of forest beside Union Cave between Violet City and Azalea Town as an Eevee (which rarely, if at all, are found in the wild).

Don't expect all the chapters to be this long. I was in a good writing mood, which rarely happens on its own. But I hope this makes up for the shortness of everything else...


	2. The First Consequence

A/N: The first chapter talked about Diego; this one reveals how Ren got Myst. There's also more development for Diego near the end.

Oh, and plot. Did I mention plot? There's plot, too.

(This chapter's title stems from the prologue, which removed on account of it being too confusing. What the first choice was will be apparent as the story nears its end)

**Chapter 2 - The First Consequence**

+Diego+

I was released from my PokéBall on the other side of the Forest. I was grateful for that: those trees held no happy memories for me. The day was clear and nearly cloudless, and as we walked I was assaulted by a combination of smells--one of which was the slightly Cheri Berry-like smell of Vulpix. I wondered for a moment if Myst's family was still here, but dismissed it from my mind as she approached to inform me of the young man they'd met while I'd been inside my Ball.

'_His name was... um... Nicholas, I think he said. And he was really...strange,_' she finished.

'_Strange?_' I asked, plodding along next to Ren, who seemed not to notice our conversation.

Myst didn't answer for a moment, raising her gigantic brown eyes to the sky as if looking for words. '_There is something about him you cannot help but like, and yet in equal measure something feels... wrong, about him._' She looked sideways at me. '_Um... I don't know exactly how to say it... Maybe if you met him you'd be able to tell..._'

She trailed off, perhaps noticing for the first time the scent of her own kind. She hurried forward a bit, looking left and right, but never quite losing the sad/apprehensive look she had nearly always worn as long as I'd known her.

Of course, it was much more pronounced back then...

(! ! !)

It was foggy. I mean, _really _foggy. The kind of fog that a Scyther could get its scythes lodged in, figuratively speaking. I clung to Ren's shoulder, feeling oppressed and nervous. I couldn't see beyond perhaps six body lengths (that's Pikachu body lengths) ahead of me, and I could smell only the damp air around us.

"It's okay, Diego," said Ren quietly as I shifted shoulders again, trying to spot, smell, or hear something that could be a threat. All the instincts of living wild, in the dead of the Cold Time, no less, after being abandoned by my original Trainer, had not died in the scant weeks I had spent with Ren. Nor could I honestly believe what Ren said--despite his assurances, I could feel his tenseness. He was no more comfortable in this oppressive fog than I.

I shook my head and then buried my face into the back of his head, shivering.

"Yes, I know, it's kinda cold, too, but it's still April." Ren reached around and rubbed me between my ears. "But it's only fog. It's not gonna hurt you."

I made a noncommital noise and switched to his right shoulder again. Whatever "April" was.

Ren walked for a few minutes in silence, transferring me to his arms, a position that I found comforting. I relaxed, at least somewhat warm, against his chest, and had nearly dropped off to sleep by the time I noticed the smell.

I jerked forward.

"Diego? What's up?"

'_I smell..._' I thought about it for a moment. _'...Spicy._' I tried to inch forward, but as I was being restrained by Ren's arms this was difficult. '_Put me down. I smell something._'

He couldn't understand me, of course, but he seemed to get what I wanted as I began to push against his forearms with my forepaws. He set me down, and I ran forward, toward the smell.

"Diego!" cried Ren. "Wait!"

'_Stay there!_' I cried back, hoping he would get the idea. I slowed to a stop as the smell became stronger, then finally overwhelming, as though the source were right in front of me.

I didn't see anything for a second, and then, suddenly, out of the fog appeared two gigantic brown eyes and the tip of a just off-white muzzle.

'_Mommy?_' it breathed. Its voice was extremely high-pitched: it appeared to be both young and female.

As gently as I could, I said, '_No._'

The figure inched forward and revealed herself to be a Vulpix--an extremely young Vulpix whose tail was just starting to split, and whose coat was just barely off-white.

'_M-Mommy?_' she asked again, her eyes swimming in tears. '_Have you... seen M-Mommy?_'

'_No,_' I said again, quietly.

'_B-b-but..._' The poor thing was shivering in the cold! No wonder it was stuttering. '_M-Mommy..._' Then, to my dismay, it collapsed onto its knees and began wailing. '_Mommmyyyy!_'

I just...sort of stood there, completely at a loss, though truth be told I wanted to cry with her. I knew what it was like to lose parents. Eventually it occured to me that I could at least try to warm her up, so I lay down next to her, trying to share my body heat.

A few minutes later the Vulpix had calmed to the point of hiccoughing, and though I was as close to her as I could be, she was still shivering.

'_You a little better now?_' I asked finally.

'_Y...yes..._' she responded haltingly. '_B-but I..._' She broke off, inhaling. '_You... s-s-smell like flowers..._'

_Flowers?_ But I remembered that I had just left a human colony covered in flowers and had passed through the accursed Forest that, had I not been steadfastly focused on the back of Ren's head, I would have seen was full of flowers.

'_I... like flowers,_' said the Vulpix hesitently. '_But... but they make me..._' She inhaled sharply and snapped her head away from me. She sneezed, expelling a few, quickly-dying embers into the fog. '_Dey bake be s'deeze,_' she finished somewhat thickly. '_Are you okay? I didn't burn you, did I? If I did, I--_'

I shushed her. '_Don't worry about that. When was the last time you saw your mother?_'

Her eyes were downcast as she said, _'Last night._' Her eyes filled with tears again. _'She said... she said she didn't want a sickly daughter... I..._'

_What?_ _What kind of mother would say that? _

_The one who doesn't want to take care of her own kits._

Anger leapt forth inside, but I subdued it. She'd been betrayed by the one person she trusted.

I knew that feeling as well, knew it all too well.

The Vulpix's eyes were closed as she pressed against me, sobbing slightly.

'_Shhh.._.' I said again. '_It's okay._'

'_Mommy..._'

'_I don't think we'll be able to find her._' I had thought this out: if it was true that the Vulpix's mother had not wanted her, it was likely that she and the rest of the young fox Pokémon's family had left under cover of the fog. '_And I don't know if it'll make up for it, but... You can come with me._'

'_C-come...with...you?_' she asked slowly. '_Where are you going?_'

'_You'd have to ask my Trainer that,_' I admitted.

'_What's a Trainer?_' she asked.

'_Well..._' I didn't know exactly how to explain it. She'd probably never seen a human before. '_Come on, and I'll show you.'_

(end)

'_Big Brother?_'

I snapped out of my reverie. Myst was beside me again, looking at me.

_'Are you okay, Big Brother?_'

I smiled at her affectionate reference. '_I'm fine, Myst._'

_'Ren had that look earlier,_' she explained. '_Like you were looking at somthing far away..._'

'_It was far away,_' I assured her. _In sunrises, anyway,_ I added silently to myself.

We walked in silence for a moment.

'_Um...Thank you,_' said Myst suddenly.

'_For what?_'

'_Um... This is the place that..._' She looked away, a bizarre combination of hurt and happiness appearing on her face. '_Thanks for... not going away._'

_'Huh?'_ I smiled. '_Well, I'm not about to leave a little girl all alone, am I?'_

'_Still..._' Myst fell back into step beside me. '_Thank you for not leaving._'

(+ + +)

It was nearing sunset, and the Big City had just appeared on the horizon. I shivered as I recalled the events of my one night in the city--events that until then I had forced out of my mind as if they had never happened.

I tore my mind away from the enchroaching madness and tugged lightly on Ren's pants.

"Huh?" He looked down. "What is it, Diego?"

I gestured vaguely in the direction of the Big City, but kept my eyes off of it.

"What? It's just Golden--Oh," he broke off, becoming pale. "...I'd nearly forgotten, myself."

'_It's going to be dark soon,_' I pleaded. '_Just like last time. I don't want to go..._'

Ren sighed, then dropped to one knee and put an arm around me. "I know you're scared, Diego. I can't imagine what..._that_...was like. But I promised I'd never let anything like that happen to you again, remember? You'll be fine. You can return to your PokéBall if you want."

I opened my mouth, then shut it again, shaking my head.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded, but pressed myself against Ren, welcoming the heat of another living body.

"...Alright. I'll try and carry you as much as I can, but don't expect too much. You're heavy, now."

Ren picked me up, already straining. I didn't want to put him to the trouble; and indeed, if any of Ren's other Pokémon had been out at that point I wouldn't have wanted to appear afraid. But it was just me and him right now, and the terrible memories that lurked around the next corner.

"Poison Sting!"

Ren shouted and leapt to the side. I leapt out of his arms and felt myself being pricked with a dozen tiny spines. My attitude shifted instantly--we were being attacked! I had to protect Ren!

I twisted around in the air, whipping my tail viciously to wipe out any further Poison Stings coming my way. I landed on my feet, and then ran to where Ren was just standing, my electrical pouches sparking.

Then the Man appeared.

The Man. Who had... _who had taken me away..._

A terrible pain lanced through my chest, and I whited out. The memories took hold, then, and I was swept along helpless in their wake.

+Ren+

The instant the Rocket appeared, Diego spasmed and dropped to the ground, twitching. I gasped and took a step back.

"Hey..." said the Grunt, staring at me with a look of intense focus on his face. "H'ain't I seen you before?"

I didn't respond verbally, but my hand twitched toward my belt and came away holding Fang's PokéBall.

"Ho, s'ho it's a fight you want!" The Grunt smiled. "Ekans, Wrap this poor sucker so we can steal the Raichu!"

"_Ekaansss!_" hissed the snake Pokémon as it leapt from the grass. I brought back my arm to throw Fang's 'Ball, and...

"Aurora Beam!"

A shimmering rainbow of ice came blasting off from the side and hit the Ekans mid-leap. It flew off to my other side, hissing madly, but being cold-blooded it lay mostly immobile and exhausted where it landed. The Grunt gasped.

"Iron Tail!"

"_Glaaayce!_" came a high-pitched screech as an ice-blue figure leapt past my shoulder, spun in midair, and smashed the grunt across the jaw with its tail, accenting it with a final _"Eon!"_

The Rocket Grunt collapsed backwards, apparently unconscious. The Glaceon stared at the prone form with distaste, then glanced at Diego, and finally at me.

"_Glaceon,_" it said in an offhand manner, then looked in the direction it had come from. I followed its gaze and noticed none other than Nicholas Mendoza, his hand still outstretched in an attack gesture, his face contorted into an expression of loathing.

"Nicholas?"

He relaxed, but the look in his face didn't manage to disappear completely. "S-scum," he spat, seeming to have a hard time getting the words out. "Even Team Galactic wouldn't have r-resorted to r-roadside r-robberies..."

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"The question is, are _you_ alright?" he countered instantly. "You were the one attacked."

"I am," I assured him. But my attention returned to Diego, still twitching slightly on the ground. "But Diego..." I dropped to one knee and reached out.

"Don't." Nicholas stepped up to him and knelt as I had, but made no attempt to touch him. "It's best to leave him alone."

"What!?"

"...You don't know what this is, do you?" asked Nicholas quietly, his gentle green eyes becoming intense as he stared at me.

"No--it's never happened before--"

"When was he stolen?" Nicholas asked suddenly.

I stared at him. "What? How did you--"

"He reacted this way upon seeing a Rocket, and Rockets are primarily thieves these days, since their boss vanished about seven years ago." He tapped his head. "I'm not totally ignorant of the world outside of Sinnoh, Ren."

I looked down at Diego. He was facing me, but his eyes twitched randomly, unseeing. "What's wrong with him?"

Nicholas was silent for a moment. "Some Pokémon, like Ralts, are naturally attuned to emotions. Then there are some that are simply more vulnerable to their own.

"Pokémon have stronger memories than we do, Ren, and that's because they don't rely on their brains to do all the remembering--they don't remember thoughts first, then experiences, like we do. Their actions are based entirely on instinct and their senses, where we, as humans, try to reason everything out. As we say, 'history is written by the victor,' but to them, history is remembered the way it happened. _Exactly_ as it happened."

I frowned. "Stop spouting knowledge and tell me what's wrong!"

"Diego is going through what happened from the moment he first saw that man. Moment by moment. He's reliving it, because it must have been so traumatizing he kept it hidden even from himself."

"Can I take him to a Pokémon Center?"

"For quiet," Nicholas said. "But this is a mental injury, not a physical one. The Nurse won't be able to do anything about it. And _don't_," he added suddenly as I reached for Diego's Ball, "put him in a PokéBall. It'll only make it worse."

I looked down at Diego, and then, suddenly, back up at Nicholas. "What are you doing here anyway?"

* * *

A/N: What's this stolen? Details next chapter! ...Whenever I finish it.


	3. Despair and Flight

A/N: This chapter feels choppy and slightly rushed, even to me; but I assure you, several days were spent on it. I'm not good at writing stealth sequences, and I'd placed Diego's reawakening in the wrong spot in my mind; it was repositioned here, but at the cost of some of the emotion. There will be more of that later, I assure you.

I do not own Pokémon or any of its related trademarks. Ren, Kyra, and Nicholas, as well as their Pokémon's personalities, are mine.

**

* * *

Chapter 3 - Despair and Flight**

+Diego+

(! ! !)

It happened so fast I didn't have time to blink.

On an impulse I had leapt away from Ren to investigate a curious smell. If I'd had any sense I would have ignored it, but at the moment the only thought on my mind was to find the source of the smell. Behind me, I heard Ren start, and Lenna, the female Pikachu owned by the female human, Kyra, may have said something, but I didn't really pay attention.

I found a mysterious berry lying untended in the back of the alleyway. I picked it up, and then there was a thud of metal-on-metal and the ground rushed out from under my paws. Suddenly I noticed another smell--an unhealthy, tobacco-like smell.

"Diego?" came Ren's voice.

'_Ren! Help! Hel--'_ I got no farther; I'd suddenly been siezed by a lethargy so great it was impossible for me to continue. There was a sensation of motion, and my vision blurred. The last thing I saw was Ren's shocked face, moving away at speed, and, as if from a great distance, heard "Diego! _Noo!_"

_R...Ren..._

Then it all went black.

(+ + +)

'_Kid? Hey, you, kid!_'

I opened my eyes.

I was still in the cage, covered on all sides by rubber-coated bars. I happened to be laying facedown, and below me I saw a Meowth who seemed almost unconcerned, sleeping quite peacefully. It had not been she who'd spoken.

'_Over! Turn over, I'm above you!_'

The cage was rather reasonably sized, and I could have stood up, but my back paws didn't seem able to support much of my weight. I did as the other suggested and rolled over. I found myself staring up at a big Raichu. He grinned. '_Glad to see you're awake._'

'_Wh..._' I coughed. '_Where am I?'_

_'Arceus help me if I know,_' said the Raichu. '_Same place as the rest of us, ain't it? And that's stolen._'

'_S...stolen?_' I shook my head. '_You mean that...?_'

'_Yup. You've been nabbed. How old's your Trainer?'_

I blinked. I had no way of measuring human age, but I supposed he was still a child. I said so.

'_Oh, well, he might get over you then. Mine was an old dude who lived by the big Metal Tower up in the north of the city. He's probably still moping about me. Hey, by the way, what happened to your back? That scar looks nasty.'_

'_Y-you saw...?_'

'_Of _course,_'_ said the Raichu mockingly. '_I've been staring down at your unconscious hide for a couple'a hours now. That sedative really keeps you out, y'know?_'

'_I got attacked by a Mighteyena... But... What do you mean, get over me?'_

_'Your Trainer's young. He'll forget you soon enough, get some replacement.'_

_'Forget me...? N...no..._' I shivered violently, turning away from the Raichu and holding my ears down on my head. '_Ren wouldn't forget me..._' I shook my head over and over again. '_No...!'_

(end)

+Ren+

"_Chuu..._" moaned Diego, snuffling and almost biting my shoulder as I walked through the busy Goldenrod streets as quickly as I could, trying to remember where the Pokémon Center was.

"Shh." I scratched between his ears. It had no visible effect. "I've got you."

_"R...Raichu... Chu!_" He began to spark slightly. Worried, I looked up and around, trying to find the Pokémon Center. Fortunately, and after almost an hour of searching, the red-roofed building was just across the street. Impatiently I waited for the light to change so the traffic would allow me to get across.

In actuality it probably took about two minutes, but with Diego in my arms moaning and crying out intermitently it felt like an eternity of helplessness.

The light changed.

I ran.

+Diego+

(! ! !)

...How long had I been there? It occured to me suddenly that I had no indication of the passage of time. We were underground--I could smell the damp--and there were no windows. There was a human timepiece on one of the walls, but it was barely visible in the gloom and in any case I couldn't read it.

I jerked up, looking around once again. The big Raichu above me had been taken away earlier; the Meowth below me still semed to be sleeping. The cages on my immediate left and right were both empty. In short, I was alone, with my thoughts and with what the Raichu had said.

'_He'll forget about you soon enough..._'

The word-sounds seemed to hang in the air in front of me, and pressed against my head, repeated in high-pitched, mocking tones. And then, some endless amount of time later, another Bad Man came and took me away...

(end)

+Lenna+

It was turning out to be another normal day, so far. Lenna and her Trainer, Kyra, had already done a fair amount of wandering in the City--paths that Kyra had traced several times, so that even Lenna could follow them despite the madness of the smells and sounds. They'd stopped at the Pokémon Center again--Kyra could spend all day here, talking, because that was the kind of person she was.

Lenna wasn't that kind of Pikachu. She liked to explore, liked to be moving. Like Diego.

Vaguely, she wondered how he was doing. She hadn't seen him since...

...Three heartbeats ago?

The female Pikachu did a double take, looking up at the human that had just passed. But more than that, her eyes were focused on the Raichu in his arms; the trashing, twitching, moaning Raichu...

'_...Kyra!_'

Her Trainer ignored her.

'_Kyra! Kyyra!_' cried Lenna, prodding at her Trainer's leg.

Kyra looked down. "What is it, Lenna?"

Lenna gestured in the direction Ren had gone. '_Look! It's Diego! Dieeego!_'

"Wh..." started Kyra, then finally noticed the other human amid the crowd of humans populating the Center. "Ren!"

Lenna jumped up onto the chair next to her Trainer. The red machine that she had been poring over a moment ago now sat, forgotten by her side.

"Hey, Ren!"

But he wasn't looking in their direction. He seemed to be struggling to hold onto Diego, talking to the Red-Haired Lady at the desk. Both of them had worried expressions on their faces.

Kyra stood up. Lenna, tired of waiting, ran over to the human boy herself and tried to get his attention, tugging on his pant leg like she remembered Diego doing. The Trainer looked down momentarily, recognition floating across his face for half a moment. Then he looked back up.

"This way!" came the Red-Haired Lady's voice. Ren started walking. Lenna followed. She heard Kyra catch up behind her, a little breathless, but, perhaps because of the expression on Ren's face--that Lenna had seen when he'd looked down on her--did not say anything.

+Ren+

"_R...Raichu...."_ moaned Diego, sparking.

"_Pikachu!_" came Lenna's voice from ankle level insistantly. I ignored her, having no explanation myself. The odds of her and Kyra being at the Center had been slim, and I had not expected to see either of them. If they wanted an explanation, however, it would have to wait. Nicholas had been vague and frustrating, disappearing soon after he'd appeared; Diego was still thrashing in my arms, and I wouldn't rest until I was sure he was okay.

"Ren..." said Kyra finally.

I bit back a retort. I had no right to be angry with her.

"Here," said Nurse Joy finally, opening a room off to the right. "Soundproofed, and there's an isolation box in the corner if he begins to attack. I'm sorry that I can't actually offer any medical help, but this sort of thing..."

"Is mental, I know," I finished grimly. I set Diego down in the bed, but did not remove my hand from his back.

"Hey, let me through, please," insisted Kyra, and then, "Ren, what in God's name is going on?"

"_Pika, Pikachu Pika!_" insisted Lenna angrily.

I glanced at her, then back at Diego, then back again. I removed my hand from the Raichu's back slowly. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think? I'm not championship material, I've only got one Pokémon, and my dad's a big businessman. Since you quit the League challenge, I've had nothing to do but sit around in Goldenrod. Most of that sitting is spent in this Pokémon Center."

"_Pikachu, Pi Pika,_" agreed Lenna. "_Pikachu!"_

I sighed. "He got... I mean... You remember what happened when I first got to Goldenrod?"

"Diego got.. ssstolenn," said Kyra hesitently.

"And just a few minutes ago we ran into something that made him...go like this."

I explained the whole situation to her, with Lenna irately interjecting a misunderstood question every few moments.

"But why would he react that way?"

"Because..." I sighed, putting my head in my hands. "You know Diego's not had a good life. His family was murdered in front of his eyes by an overagressive Trainer, and then he was caught by the same person. Arman abandoned him in the dead of winter in an environment he knew nothing about; he spent four months in the snow and the rain, sick and very nearly dying; he's been savaged by a Mighteyena; he's been stolen. I was the first good thing to ever happen to him, and he'd already lived for at least a year before that. Arman said so. And all the negativity just sort of builds up and builds up, and because he doesn't want me to feel bad for him he forces it away... and then it all comes crashing down at once." I broke off, shivering slightly.

"_Raichu..._" moaned Diego.

"...And I can't do anything," I finished. "All I can do is watch him suffer. When I've dedicated my life to helping Pokémon--_especially _Diego..."

"Ren!"

The door burst open. I leapt to my feet; Kyra spun around, and Lenna growled and began to spark dangerously.

"Whoa! Hey, I'm sorry!" said Nicholas Mendoza, backing off. "I didn't mean to..."

"Nicholas, now isn't the best time," I spat.

"No, Ren, it's not," he said, his expression stormy. "Turn on the TV."

"What?" I stared at him blankly. He rolled his eyes, reached past me, grabbed the remote and turned on the wall-mounted TV in the corner.

"...are saying that the Radio Tower has been compromised," the news reporter continued. "Witnesses have said that several strangely-dressed individuals began to enter the building at around four o'clock--"

I took a quick glance at my PokéGear, realizing that I hadn't bothered to check the time. It was 7:40 PM.

"Normal broadcasts continued until about ten minutes ago. So far no demands have been made, though normal radio programs have been silenced. This is Thomas Shane, reporting live, for G-20 news at seven-thirty..."

"The Radio Tower's been taken over?" breathed Kyra.

"Just like five years ago," agreed Nicholas. "Except that it isn't Team Rocket this time."

"How do you know?"

In answer, Nicholas tapped his Pokétch--which I noticed, for the first time, was silver--and a radio broadcast began sounding.

"We know you're here," came the voice from Nicholas' Pokétch. It was a cold voice, one that sounded bent upon, above all else, spreading this message. "Halfbreed, you cannot hide from us. We have Goldenrod City surrounded. All the planes have been grounded. It is better that you show yourself now, and prevent the needless slaughter of innocents. We know you keep company with a mouse. Team Galactic always gets what it is after..."

Nicholas tapped his Pokétch. The voice was silenced.

"A _mouse?_" I breathed. "It can't be _Diego_..."

"In all liklihood it isn't," said Nicholas. "But that won't stop them--and they'll probably go after the Pokémon Center first."

"But--" started Kyra

"That's where the most Pokémon are, and, in case you've forgotten, at least two of them are mice..."

"But... Are you suggesting I'm some kind of 'halfbreed,' whatever that means?" I shook my head. "I'm entirely human."

"So am I," supplied Kyra nervously.

"That won't stop them," repeated Nicholas. "They'll take you in for testing all the same, and you _don't_ want that to happen..."

"What are we going to do, then?"

"Get out," he said simply.

"But they said they've got the city surrounded--"

"I didn't say it would be easy, but that's what we've got to do."

There was tense silence for a minute.

"I'm not going anywhere without Diego," I said finally, crossing my arms and staring up at Nicholas.

"_Pika, Pika, Pikachu, Pika..._"

I turned around, surprised. Lenna, apparently trying to help, had gone to Diego's side and was now muttering in his ear.

"We need to get going, though," said Kyra, nearly panicking.

"Let her finish," said Nicholas quickly, gesturing at Lenna.

"But I thought we had to wait until--" I started

"Let her finish," said Nicholas again, more sharply.

+Diego+

'_I promised.'_

I twitched.

'_Remember the promise I made you?'_

_...Lenna... That's Lenna's voice..._

'_I'd keep you safe. I'd protect you, until you got back to Ren. Please, Diego, come back... We need you to wake up..._'

I twitched again.

"Diego?" came Ren's voice from the other side of a black chasm of fear.

'_I promise,_' said Lenna gently, both in my memory and outside of it. '_I promise to keep you safe, to take you back to your Trainer. And Diego... I promise--I promise to love you--'_

_Lenna!_

She was there when I opened my eyes, and so was Ren.

'_Ren!_' I gasped. He embraced me so quickly I had no chance to breath.

"We need to go," said another voice, one that I did not know. "Team Galactic will be here soon, after you, just because you have a Pikachu and a Raichu..."

"Look! Out the window, those people with teal hair..." came Kyra's voice.

"Ren!" snapped the other.

"Right," grunted Ren. "Diego, I know this is sudden, but we need to get out of here..." He pulled out my PokéBall and before I had a chance to protest, he'd returned me to it.

+Ren+

"Well, they're nearly here," I said, staring out the window. "What bright idea have you got?"

"Follow me," Nicholas said, leaving the room. We did.

(+ + +)

I collapsed against the side of a building, wheezing. Beside me, Kyra did the same. Nicholas seemed unaffected by the sprint we'd just made into this alleyway, standing near the exit to the main road and making sure we hadn't been followed.

"How'd... you know... about another way out?" I gasped.

"Found it by accident last time I was here," said Nicholas shortly. "I don't know if you could tell, but it hadn't been used much. I doubt anyone except the Nurse knows it's there." He paused, squinting in the darkness; the alleyway was between two streetlights, in the narrow band of darkness where the sick-looking orange light did not reach. "Just as well for us," he finished.

"Ren!" gasped Kyra, touching me on the shoulder. I looked at her. Lenna's PokéBall was in her hand. I stared at her in surprise.

"Take her," she added.

"Why?" I asked.

"M'not...cut out for cross-country," she explained. "And if you have Lenna, they won't... be looking for me... Don't get me wrong," she continued at my expression of disbelief. "M'not..." She paused, getting her breath back. "I'm not doing this just for myself. I'm doing it for her. Besides, she'll be closer to Diego that way. You understand?"

I nodded, slowly, then, just as slowly, reached out and grabbed Lenna's Ball.

"Two people move quieter than three, anyway," said Nicholas absently, still looking for approaching Galactics. "Coast's clear," he said to Kyra after a moment, who nodded, looked at me with a "please-keep-Lenna-safe" look, then took off into the darkening city.

"Shall we?"

I nodded at Nicholas, who looked out of the alley once more, and then took off. I followed.

I took a quick look at my PokéGear as we walked quickly through the night. 8:10; we had to be nearly on the other end of the city now. I switched to the map function; apparently we were headed north.

"Nick--"

"Nicholas, please."

"Nicholas, then... Why're we going north?"

"It's closer," he said simply. "Besides, I doubt Ekruteak has been taken like Goldenrod has. The two Towers are there; something like that would make national news in no time."

"And this wouldn't!?"

He tensed, then dove off to the sight, into another alley. There was a lamp straight across from this one, so he had to go nearly to the back to hide. I followed him, quickly.

A trio of Galactic Grunts passed by; one peered into the alley, but it seemed the two of us were far enough back that he couldn't see us. Besides, I could almost see his brain think under his teal bowl haircut, who hides in alleys anyway? It's not as if this is some kind of cliché story...

The Grunts moved on.

"Where are the police?" I whispered after a moment.

"Doubtless they're busy at the Radio Tower, and possibly the Pokémon Center." Cautiously, he peeked out of the alley, and then got back onto the main road, walking quickly.

"There," I said, catching up to him and pointing. "That's Goldenrod's north gate..."

"They'll have taken over it," said Nicholas, heading off to the right. He and I ended up crouched behind a mailbox, staring at the fence surrounding the city. It was not exceptionally high; nor was it electrified. It seemed that the Galactics had compensated for this, however, as there were two Grunts patrolling on each side, and their beats were so regular that there was always one with an unobstructed view along the fence.

"Damn," said Nicholas quietly. "So much for a quiet exit." He reached to his belt and pulled out a PokéBall.

"What are you doing?" I asked quickly.

"A distraction," he said simply. "You run. I'll catch up."

There was a breathless, tense moment of silence. Nicholas repositioned the Ball in his hand so the Pokémon could be released quietly.

"Nicholas," I said, a question occuring to me suddenly. "Why are you doing this? You don't owe me anything..."

"Let's say," said Nicholas slowly, after a moment, "that Galactic owes me something."

The Ball opened. A Pidgeot materialized. At the fence, the Grunts on the city side turned sharply.

"Go," said Nicholas simply as he hopped onto the Pokémon's back. The bird took off. The Grunts shouted and ran after him. The ones on the other side ran in opposite directions.

I went.

* * *

A/N: The next chapter, when I finish it, should sound better. And I'll try to work it out so that more about Ren's Pokémon can be revealed (although a basic biographical account of each can be found on my profile, if you're curious and/or impatient).

Until next time.


End file.
